08/19/2017

Flat Tire Ends Reed’s Night Early at Bristol

BRISTOL, Tenn. (August 18, 2017) – Ryan Reed was prepared to take on the night race Bristol Motor Speedway, but his forward momentum was cut short in Stage 1. Reed suffered damage being on the outside of a three-wide squeeze for position and then the damage resulted in a flat tire once racing resumed. The damage from the flat tire was too severe to continue, leaving Reed with a 37th-place finish in his No. 16 Lilly Diabetes Ford.

The start of qualifying was delayed due to rain, forcing NASCAR to change from three rounds of qualifying, to just one 20-minute round. Reed made two attempts in qualifying, but his Lilly Ford wasn’t handling how he needed, resulting in a 27th-place starting position.

From the drop of the green flag Reed made up a few positions before another competition tried to squeeze in the middle and make it three-wide racing. The move ended the night of the car on the inside and Reed, who was on the outside, was left with heavy body damage.

Reed pitted for tires and damage repair, but once the field returned to green the team noticed a tire rub when the front end was loaded up at speed. Reed was just about to pit for the tire rub when it gave way. The blown tired caused severe damage and ended Reed’s evening after just 38 laps of competition.

About Lilly Diabetes

Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world’s first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research and collaboration, a wide range of therapies and a continued determination to provide real solutions—from medicines to support programs and more—we strive to make life better for all those affected by diabetes around the world. For more information, visit www.lillydiabetes.com or follow us on Twitter: @LillyDiabetes.